Branson/Tri-Lakes News: Summit seeks housing shortgage solutions

“(The summit) was really more to put forth the nature of the problem – to confirm what we already know,” said Springfield bonding attorney Carson Elliff, a speaker at the event.

Other speakers included Pete Ramsel, executive director of the Missouri Housing Development Commission; Charles Miller, senior project manager for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and Philip Minden, Community Business Center representative of Fannie Mae.

The purpose of the summit was to hear about the current housing situation in Taney County and to identify the next steps to alleviating work force-housing shortages. Erickson said about 40 volunteers expressed interest in serving on one of three new committees. The interest groups included developing a Taney County housing authority; building a coalition of work force-housing providers and developing solutions to work force-housing needs.

“We’re going to have another meeting to get these volunteers activated,” said Cy Murray, president of the Taney County Industrial Development Authority, which sponsored the summit. “We’re not experts on housing. We need to get a group to address this.”

Attracting work force housing has been a high priority for the IDA, along with recruiting businesses.

“If you get out to bring in business here, they are going to say ‘Where are we going to bring our employees?’” Murray said. “We need to take care of our (local) businesses to help them retain their employees through housing efforts.”

Organizers expect the summit will be the start of a series of sessions.

“There’s so much to explore,” said Dawn Erickson, administrator of the Taney County Department of Economic Development, who worked on planning the event with Sarah Klinefelter, chair of the Taney County Planning Commission.

“This was a great big picture,” Erickson said of the meeting, which was twice rescheduled. “Now, we have to break it down into workable sections.”

One bit of good news regarding low-income housing eligibility has coincided with the summit. President Bush on July 30 signed into law the Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008 (HR 3221). According to Kathryn Watts, MHDC government affairs liaison, a section of the law allows for a higher qualifying income in rural areas. Previously under rural Missouri guidelines, to qualify for low-income housing in Taney County, a family of four could earn up to $27,600, which is 60 percent of the county’s median income of $43,500. Under the new law, rural areas such as Taney County can use the national non-metro median income as a guideline. Under the new measure, a Taney County family of four can earn up to $29,580 which is 60 percent of the nonmetro median income of $49,300, and still qualify for low-income housing.

Watts said the Foreclosure Prevention Act could affect residents in 77 of Missouri’s 114 counties who were making too much money for low-income housing.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” Watts said. “It gives you a little bit of an advantage.”[[In-content Ad]]